Glimmer of Hope Emerges for NYSE-Deutsche Börse Deal

By

Jacob Bunge,

Matthew Dalton and

Ulrike Dauer

Updated Jan. 24, 2012 5:39 p.m. ET

A key member of the European Commission signaled Tuesday that he wanted more time to review the proposed merger of NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse AG, casting new uncertainty around a deal that many investors and analysts already have given up for dead.

Michel Barnier, the European Union's commissioner for internal market and services, on Tuesday placed a so-called waiting reserve on the matter, giving him leeway to potentially...